The Original Punk Fashion- Formed in the late 1960s/1970s
An article originally written for Tantrum Magazine (online content)
Fashion Forecast- Punk in the Present
Ever since its emergence in the mid-seventies, Britain has shared a strong, albeit turbulent love affair with punk fashion. Developed by fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, and adapted by rebellious teenagers the world over, it wasn’t just the music that gripped the nation. It was rock legend Patti Smith that claimed punk rock was ‘just another word for freedom’. It is no surprise then, that almost 40 years on, British style, and its attitude in some sense, remains in love with the ultimate rebellion.
Despite remaining arguably out of the limelight for several decades, punk seems to be re-entering our lives, at least in terms of fashion. Taking the features of Punk style such as clashing colours, animal prints and fake fur coats, the ‘new punk’ way of dressing focuses more on the clothing than the political aspects.
Created on the King’s Road, and picked up by British fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, punk fashion was originally designed to destroy perfection. It was created in order to provoke reaction; to anger the stiff upper lipped businessmen and women of the time. However, never was it created as a fashion statement. Donning bin bags attached together with safety pins, it is arguably world’s away from the luxe, minimalistic clothing that is worn by the punks children today. Formed as a political uproar, punk, essentially, was a movement that clawed its way out of the oppressive, politically corrupt and financially dismal times that the 70s were shrouded in. But after years spent behind closed doors, or reserved only for a few individuals on the streets of Camden, is punk, or punk fashion at least, about to screaming back?
-Punk came screaming back at the Met Ball 2013 (Anne Hathaway)
It certainly seems that way, at least from the street style currently appearing. But if punk is what we are seeing, it’s not the original gritty look that we remember. Punk fashion has instead transformed, taking on a far more minimalistic, ‘luxury’ look. Forget the safety pins, think fur coats, leather trousers and bleach blonde hair. Recent punk champion designers; Alexander McQueen, Gareth Pugh and Jean Paul Gaultier are still making the waves for Punk fashion, displaying their work at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art’s exhibition- ‘Punk: Chaos to Couture’ on 9th May. Laura Santo-Dimingo, Co-Founder of Luxury online fashion retailer Moda Operandi, said of the event ‘We are thrilled to offer women the opportunity to capture the spirit of punk with pieces that balance high fashion and rebellion’. This seems to sum up the current trend very well. Its high attitude mixed with high fashion for the current teenagers and twenty something’s. The ‘new punks’ are no longer about ‘anti-fashion’, but are instead celebrating its perfect pairing.
–The Met Ball 2013 (Cara Delevingne)
As far as punk fashion making a return to the streets, it is unlikely that it will ever completely disappear, and you could argue that for those hard core punk fans, it never left. But with its focus now more on fashion than attitude, it is debatable whether ‘the spirit of punk’ still continues to reign.
-Catherine Earnshaw
catherineleilah.wordpress.com 